The present disclosure relates generally to a rechargeable battery pack for an electro-optical reader, and to a method of electrically charging the battery pack and of electrically powering the reader with the charged battery pack.
Both laser-based and solid-state, imager-based readers, also known as scanners, have been used, in both handheld and/or hands-free modes of operation, to electro-optically read symbol targets, such as one- and/or two-dimensional bar code symbols, to be decoded, as well as document targets, such as forms, labels, receipts, prescriptions, drivers' licenses, identification badges, payment/loyalty cards, and the like, to be imaged. In the hands-free mode, the reader is stationary, and is typically mounted and docked in a docking station, such as a stand or cradle, mounted on a countertop or like support surface. A user typically presents a target to a window of the stationary reader in a presentation mode. In the handheld mode, the reader is movable, and the user typically lifts the reader from the docking station, holds the reader in his or her hand, aims the reader at the target, and manually actuates a trigger to initiate reading.
Many such readers are cordless and, when a reader is removed from its docking station, an on-board, rechargeable battery pack is required to provide electrical power for operation, and to be periodically recharged. The docking station typically has a station contact block on which electrical station contacts are typically supported for recharging the battery pack when the reader is docked, as well as additional electrical station contacts typically used for sending electrical signals, e.g., data and control signals, to and from the reader via the battery pack when the reader is docked. Likewise, the reader typically has a reader contact block on which a pair of electrical reader contacts is typically supported for supplying power from the battery pack to the reader, as well as additional electrical, reader contacts typically used for sending electrical signals, e.g., data and control signals, to and from the reader via the battery pack. The reader contacts and the station contacts are embedded in their respective contact blocks constituted of, for example, plastic, and the reader contacts and the station contacts are exposed on a portion of the respective contact block.
Although the known battery pack is generally satisfactory for its intended purpose of making electro-mechanical connections with the reader contact block in the reader and with the station contact block in the docking station, the known battery pack has proven to be relatively complex in design and assembly. For example, the known battery pack is typically provided with a pair of pack contact blocks to respectively mate with the reader contact block and with the station contact block. The pair of pack contact blocks are mounted on a pair of printed circuit boards (PCBs), each of which has to be separately installed and properly aligned in the battery pack. Each pack contact block itself represents a relatively expensive component to fabricate and install, thereby increasing the complexity and expense of the overall battery pack.
Accordingly, there is a need to make a battery pack for an electro-optical reader less complex and expensive, without sacrificing battery pack performance over its working lifetime.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and locations of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The method and apparatus components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.